


Eskimo Kisses

by horayne (lerrie)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, M/M, hockey au fic?, ice hockey, please just indulge me?, sophia made me okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-08
Updated: 2013-06-08
Packaged: 2017-12-14 08:00:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/834553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lerrie/pseuds/horayne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Straightening, Cher grinned at him. "Let me guess; Horace is from Northern Ireland, has a penchant for playing hockey and is also a tortured soul waiting for the right person to heal him."</p>
<p>or:</p>
<p>Liam plays hockey and Niall works at a coffee shop.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Eskimo Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> I recently saw a hockey game, and I found out talking to a friend of mine that she writes hockey stories - she's asked that I don't post the name of her works :( - so this one is dedicated to her (and it's heavily based off of one of her stories).  
> If you get confused anywhere in the fic - I've got a really long explanatory note at the end! :)
> 
> I hope you all enjoy! :)
> 
> due to request I've changed a few names :)

Even though it didn't come as a complete shock, Liam Payne still found it hard to take when the GM of his team announced that he was being traded. It wasn't that he was a terrible player or no longer contributing. It had more to do with the dollars and cents and they just couldn't afford to keep Liam any longer. At least the team he was headed for was in another division so he wouldn't be facing his old teammates right away.  
  
Before leaving town, Josh and the other guys threw him a huge going away party at Josh's house. Quite a feat considering how fast trades came up and were followed through on. Josh's new wife, Beth, a good friend to Liam in his own right, was in tears by the end of the night.  
  
"I just can't believe you're leaving," she sobbed, throwing her arms around Liam.  
  
He laughed to cover his own misty eyes. He knew that Beth meant it even if she was being a touch overdramatic at the moment; that was because it was her first time drinking since giving birth to her son, Phil.  
  
"I know, B." Liam patted her back. "But it's a good thing."  
  
She jerked back and glared at him, tears streaking her cheeks. "How can you say that?"  
  
"Well, the team here can get the guys they need and I get the chance to see a new city." He'd said the words to himself so many times before that he was almost starting to believe them.  
  
Beth tried to maintain her glare, but her lower lip began to tremble. She let out a sob and buried her face against Liam's chest. With a sigh, he continued to pat her back until he met Josh's curious gaze over her head.  
  
"Get over here, Payne." Liam waved a hand at his former captain.  
  
Josh strode across the room and smiled as he took in the sight of his wife hanging from Liam's arms. "Your last night here and you're still hitting on my wife?"  
  
A renewed sob burst forth from Beth and both the men laughed.  
  
"You've got to do something, man." Liam tried to extract himself from Beth's grip. "I love her but I just can't deal with this."  
  
Josh held his arms out and closed them around Beth as Liam turned her to her husband. She cried into Josh's shoulder as Liam met Josh's gaze. Josh nodded and blinked a few times before turning away with his wife in tow.  
  
With a sigh, Liam walked out onto the back deck for a few minutes of fresh air. Inside the house, the music pulsed and loud laughter filtered outside. He was having a good time with his teammates and friends but it made it that much more difficult to think of leaving them. His flight for Dublin left the next day and the day after that, he'd be skating in practice with the Rams.  
  
_At least I'll be playing for an Irish team,_  he thought, knowing it was small consolation for leaving his closest friends and companions from the past four years. They'd been through a lot and succeeded where no one had expected them to less than a year ago in the finals.  
  
"Liam!" someone called out from the house. "Get in here!"  
  
Pasting a smile on his face, he turned and walked inside to party one last time with his friends.

* * *

  
  
_Oh man, another boring day at the coffee house,_  Niall Horan thought to himself as he leaned against the counter. With a sigh he propped his elbow on the counter and rested his chin in his hand, staring out at the empty tables.  
  
It was a small coffee shop near the downtown core of the city, but it was still painfully obvious that their business had dropped in the past couple of weeks. He didn't know if it was because of the economy or not but he wished it would pick up. These slow days were very  _long_  days and he could think of a million things he'd rather be doing.  
  
"Couldn't you be cleaning something, Niall?" Rich, his manager, asked as he passed by with some coin rolls for the cash register.  
  
He scowled at his back but retrieved a cloth from the sink. He walked out into the dining area and began to wipe the surfaces of the already pristine tables.  
  
_Nothing exciting ever happens here,_  he thought as he absent-mindedly wiped a table down near the window.  
  
Things had once been busy and exciting in  _Better Day_. The Rams used to come in all the time, before and after practices and before games, since the shop was just a few blocks away from the Dundalk Ice Dome. Niall had enjoyed getting to know some of the players and had even managed to score tickets one day from a player who was now no longer with the team. Now they rarely saw the hockey players. Niall guessed that it was because they were afraid of the ridicule since the team hadn't been doing so well of late. Rams fans were passionate; passionately supportive and passionately hard on them.  
  
_Maybe the new guy will help with that._  Niall recalled the press conference yesterday to welcome the new player from the Solihull Barons.  
  
He wasn't a heavy shooter or a high goal scorer but he was affectionately referred to as a grinder; he gets the job done when it matters. And he was damn good at it. Everyone knew he'd been the star of the Reichenbach Cup final last year when it had counted.   
  
A sudden blast of cold air brought him out of his silent contemplation and he shivered as he straightened. He turned his head to smile at the newcomer, grateful that there was some business at last.  
  
"Oh, hey, Cher," Niall greeted his friend and co-worker.  
  
"Hi!" Cher brushed the snow from her long hair. "God, I just love this snow, don't you?"  
  
Niall snorted and turned away, focusing his attention on the next table. From behind him, Cher laughed before crossing the shop to deposit her belongings in the office.  
  
"Good morning, Rich!" Cher called out in a sunny voice and Niall couldn't quite hear the grumpy manager's grumbled response. Cher laughed at whatever it was he said.  
  
Niall loved his friend but on occasion, her perpetually mood was grating.  
  
"You need help out there, Niall?" Cher reappeared behind the counter as she tied her red apron around her middle.  
  
"No, I've got it under control." Niall waved the cloth in his hand.  
  
"How was your class last night?"  
  
"It was fine." Niall shrugged as he moved closer to the counter. "We went over character development and Mr. Heiniger made us come up with a profile in ten minutes that we had to present to the class."  
  
"Oh, sounds exciting." Cher faced Niall with dancing eyes. "Who was yours?"  
  
Niall laughed at her enthusiasm. It was one of the reasons he loved Cher. She was always so genuine. It was hard  _not_  to like her.  
  
"I came up with Horace, a dock worker in the fifties," Niall replied, wiping his side of the counter with his cloth.  
  
"Horace? What kind of a name is that?"  
  
Niall laughed again and flicked his cloth at Cher. "It's a name that fit the era and his background."  
  
Straightening, Cher grinned at him. "Let me guess; Horace is from Northern Ireland, has a penchant for playing hockey and is also a tortured soul waiting for the right person to heal him."  
  
Niall flushed and looked away, disappointed that he was so transparent. Cher reached out and clapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"Don't worry, Niall. I've never told anyone else about your dream guy."  
  
"Horace is a figment of my imagination."  
  
"Exactly." Cher fixed him with a firm look, her mouth quirking at the corner on a repressed smile. "Maybe it's time you forget about the guy who jilted you three years ago and move on."  
  
"He didn't jilt me," Niall mumbled but moved away from the counter to wipe down more clean tables.  
  
Thankfully Cher left him alone and Niall was left to dwell on his past in solitude. He knew that Cher was right, that he needed to put it all behind him. Niall just couldn't seem to let go.  
  
Joey had been new in town three years ago and Niall had liked him right away when he'd started working at  _Better Day_. They'd become fast friends and when he'd pressed for more, Niall had been over the moon. No other man had shown so much interest in him. He'd had few boyfriends in his twenty years and Joey had been so exotic and exciting that he'd been too flattered to notice anything was wrong.  
  
When Joey had left to return to his hometown, and a fiancé he'd never told his about, Niall’d been broken-hearted. It had hurt so much that he'd never even allowed himself to look at another man the same way since. He clung to the hope that Joey was taking care of things before returning to apologize and beg for his forgiveness. He'd even been foolish enough to confess this wild and ridiculous hope to Cher. His friend had made it her mission to make Niall forget about Joey, but in two and a half years, she'd yet to succeed.  
  
Niall stopped near the door and stared out at the falling snow, watching it twist and lift with each passing breeze. He wondered if he'd ever find another guy who was as attractive to him as Joey had been. Someone who made him feel like he had, however false it had turned out to be.  
  
_"You've got to find someone local, Niall."_  he heard Cher's voice echo in his mind.  _"That way you won't have as far to travel to make him pay for hurting you."_  At the time, his friend's words had made them both laugh.  
  
Now, Niall wondered if he'd ever have the courage to fall again.

* * *

  
  
Liam loved the bracing cold of his new city. He strolled down the street away from his second practice at the Dundalk Ice Dome and grinned when he pulled the collar of his heavy jacket up. He loved the air sweeping down from the mountains and he loved the snow that drifted into piles along fences and roadways.  
  
Sure, it could get cold in Solihull, but not like this. And the one thing other cities he'd played didn't have were the Chinooks: intense winds that blew through this part of the world in the dead of winter, raising the temperature to daily averages that the city normally only sees in the spring. They made the cold snaps that much more bearable.  
  
He paused at a street light, waiting for it to change, and looked around, taking in the nearby sites. There were a few shops in this part of the city, some bars and restaurants that looked quiet at the moment. Then he spotted a coffee shop called  _Better Day_  across the street.  
  
Changing direction, he crossed the street and hurried the last few feet to the door. As he stepped inside, the smell of espresso hit him in the face and he paused with his hand on the door, taking a deep breath.  
  
"Holy crap, that's freaking cold!" someone exclaimed and he glanced over to see a shorter boy standing by the window.  
  
"Oh, sorry." He stepped inside, letting the door fall shut behind him and grinned at the boy. "I didn't mean to let all the warm air out."  
  
"Holy shit." His bright blue eyes widened. "You're Liam Payne!"  
  
He laughed at his hell-shocked expression. It was his first recognition since arriving in Dublin.  
  
"Yes." He leaned close, looking at his name tag. "And you're Niall."  
  
"I can't believe you're here."  
  
"Sometimes, neither can I."  
  
"Niall," a feminine voice called from the counter. "Stop harassing the customers and let him get a drink."  
  
Niall blushed crimson and looked away. "Sorry. Go ahead and order a coffee. I didn't mean to keep you."  
  
"No worries," he assured him but moved towards the counter anyway, taking in the dark-haired beauty standing there.  
  
The boy hurried behind the counter and he started to grind the beans for his drink. He watched him work with a smile, enjoying the stardom, however brief it might be.  
  
"Are you a hockey fan, then?" he asked as he steamed the milk.  
  
"Oh, yes." The woman leaned her hip against the counter and smiled at him. "Niall here has got to be the biggest fan in Dublin. He hasn't stopped talking about some new player coming to town for days!"  
  
Liam chuckled and winked at Niall who only blushed. "Oh? Some new player, eh? Is he good-looking or something?"  
  
Niall laughed and swore as he just about dropped the milk.  
  
"Niall! You're going to make a mess." He sent an apologetic smile in Liam's direction and he smiled back.  
  
Niall stood aside with a frown as the taller woman took over for him. Niall was cute, with messy blonde hair and a slim, wiry figure. Liam leaned against the counter and crooked a finger at him, beckoning him closer.  
  
"I'm guessing she's not into hockey?" he asked in a quiet tone, nodding his head in the woman's direction.  
  
Niall fought to hold back a smile and lost. Liam grinned back at him, glad to have found a fan so soon after his move.  
  
He straightened and placed his palms on the counter. "Are you a Rams fan?"  
  
"Oh yeah," Niall replied. "Born and raised here so I had no choice."  
  
"Do you go to games?"  
  
"Whenever I can. I don't make enough money to afford a lot. Plus, I'm taking a couple night courses at Pulse."  
  
"You're still in school?" Liam was surprised. "You look too mature for that."  
  
Niall laughed and shook his head. "Whatever. I'm not young, if that's what you were wondering."  
  
"Neither am I."  
  
"You're only twenty-one!" he blurted and then gaped at him. "Oh God."  
  
Liam’s eyebrows went up and he laughed. "You  _do_  know your stats, don't you?"  
  
He shook his head, his cheeks coloring.  
  
"I bet you know more about me than I do, right?"  
  
Still, Niall wouldn't respond. He hid his face behind his hands and shook his head. His co-worker saved him from further embarrassment by handing Liam his finished drink.  
  
"There you are, sir," She said with a broad smile.  
  
"Thank you. I wish I could stay and chat more, but I have to go see someone about a house. I'll be back soon."  
  
"We'd be happy to see you back," the woman said.  
  
"Oh yeah," Niall added under his breath and flushed when he met Liam's gaze.  
  
He turned to go. He paused at the doorway and turned back to see the woman looking curiously after him before glancing down to her co-worker. Niall was already walking away from the counter, shaking his head, his cheeks still pink.  
  
Grinning, Liam pushed open the door and headed back out to the blustery day.

* * *

  
  
Liam had been telling the truth about going to look at a house. He'd been staying at a hotel since the trade and wanted a more permanent residence. If he was lucky, he'd be staying for a while, so he looked for something to purchase instead of rent.  
  
After deciding on a house in one day, he was on the road with the team for three games. They did well, winning one in regulation, one in overtime and losing the third in overtime. He gelled well with the team and they were a good bunch of guys. He wasn't feeling so sad anymore about the move and was looking forward to heading to his new place in Dublin following the road trip.

* * *

  
  
After a morning, game-day practice, he recalled the little coffee shop a few blocks from the Dundalk Ice Dome. He hurried down the street, heading for where he thought it was. He wasn't familiar with the city just yet, but he was learning. Then he spotted the  _Better Day_  sign across the street and hurried over.  
  
The smell of caffeine washed over him and he smiled as he inhaled. Looking around, he spotted a few people seated at tables talking in low tones or reading newspapers. It was busier this morning than when he'd last been in and he remembered that it was a Saturday.  
  
As he went over to stand in line, he looked for Niall, wondering if he was working. He had a couple tickets for the game in his pocket that he'd been given for friends or family. Even though he'd just met the man, he knew Niall would appreciate the gift. He was the closest thing he had to a friend right now in this strange new city.  
  
"Hi there." The woman behind the counter was the same one who'd been working with Niall last time. "I was wondering when we were going to see you again."  
  
He grinned at her. "I was out of town for a few days. I promise, this is the first chance I've had to come back."  
  
She laughed, the sound throaty and rich and Liam felt himself leaning forward in spite of himself. She was very pretty. He took note of her name on her name tag; Cher.  
  
"What can I get for you?" She asked.  
  
Liam ordered a drink and as he handed his cash over, he glanced around. "Can I ask you something? Is that boy, Niall, working today?"  
  
Cher nodded as she counted his change. "He starts in a couple hours."  
  
"Oh." He was disappointed that he wouldn't see him. Still, he could ask Cher to give the tickets to Niall. "I've got some tickets to tonight's hockey game and I thought he might like to have them."  
  
"You're kidding!" Cher laughed. "Niall will love you forever!"  
  
Liam laughed with her and was inordinately pleased to hear her say that. "So will you give them to him?"  
  
"Yes, I will. I'll even cover his shift so he can go."  
  
"That's awfully nice of you." He reached into his jacket to pull out the tickets.  
  
"I would never be able to live with myself if Niall had a chance to see a game and couldn't go," Cher replied and Liam believed him.  
  
"He's lucky to have a friend like you."  
  
Cher grinned, pleased with the compliment. "I'm lucky to have him as a friend too, believe me. He's great."  
  
"Well, thanks for doing this and I'll see you next time." Liam waved as he walked off with his drink.

* * *

  
  
"Oh my God! Oh my God! OHMYGOD!" Niall clutched the precious tickets to his chest. "I can't believe this!"  
  
Cher laughed and reached out to tug his hands. "Careful, Niall. You'll rip the tickets and not be able to go at all."  
  
Niall loosened his grip and stared at the tickets. He couldn't believe his day was taking this incredible turn. He'd woken up feeling stuffy and watery-eyed. He'd then endured a hellish transit commute to work, ending up soaked by a passing car on his walk from the nearby train station. After grousing to Cher and toweling himself off in the staff room, his friend had presented him with two tickets -- two awesome tickets! -- to that night's hockey game.  
  
"Do you have any idea how amazing these seats are?" He read the words over and over. "They're playing Castlereagh tonight, which is always a fantastic game.  
  
Cher just smiled and shrugged, clueless about how wonderful it was, other than that it made her friend happy. "Well, I told that guy that you'd be super excited."  
  
"What guy?" Niall tore his gaze away from the tickets.  
  
"That one who was in last week during that blizzard." Cher led the way out of the staff room.  
  
Niall tucked his precious gift into his pocket and followed his friend as he pushed his hair back into a fairly presentable ‘do.  
  
"He was kind of cute, a little scruffy." Cher wrinkled her nose at the memory. She didn't like guys who didn't shave smooth every day.  
  
"Liam Payne?" Niall scoffed. "No way." No way had the newest addition to the Dublin Rams stopped in at  _Better Day_  just to give him hockey tickets. He was a superstar, for crying out loud. Why would he care if Niall came to a game?  
  
He recalled his smile and twinkling eyes from that first visit and felt his stomach give an involuntary flip. He'd always thought he was one of the more attractive players, even with the slight five o’clock shadow he always seemed to sport.

 "Was that his name?" Cher picked up a cloth and began to wipe the counter down.

  
"Liam," Niall repeated. "Yes, that was him. He was here? When?"  
  
"Just this morning, about two hours ago." Cher turned to face him with a grin. "He was disappointed that you weren't here."  
  
Niall snorted. "Yeah, right. I bet he was just disappointed that his stalker fan wasn't here to moon over him."  
  
"Fan? Why are you his fan?"  
  
Sighing, Niall moved past Cher to pick up a cloth. "Honestly, Cher. I can't believe you know so little about hockey."  
  
"Is he a hockey player?" Cher laughed. "No wonder you were acting so weird when he first came in."  
  
Niall nodded, feeling heat creep up his neck again at the mere memory. He'd felt like an idiot that day, stammering at him and then blurting out his age like he was his best friend or something. With a sigh, he pushed it from his mind and vowed to thank him whenever he saw him again.  
  
"So who are you going to take to the game?" Cher asked.  
  
"I'll just call Greg and see if he's free." Niall's older brother, Greg, was almost as big a fan as he was, and wasn't one to turn down a free game.  
  
"Well, you'll have to come right back here afterwards and tell me all about it."  
  
Niall laughed at her. "It's a game, Cher. Not a social call. You're hopeless."  
  
Cher just gave him a smile and a raised eyebrow. "Niall, darling. You are the hopeless one."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"This guy came all the way to this shop -"  
  
"We're three blocks from the Dundalk Ice Dome, where he works," Niall interrupted.  
  
Cher carried on as if he hadn't said a word. " -Just to give you those tickets. And you didn't see his face when I told him you weren't here."  
  
Rolling his eyes, Niall turned away. "It must have been a look of relief that he had the chance to talk to you instead of me."  
  
"Niall, that's not true."  
  
"Cher, it's fine. I'm so happy that I have these tickets and I love you so much for taking the last half of my shift so I can go. You don't need to worry about me."  
  
"You're my friend. I worry about my friends whether they need me to or not."  
  
Tears pricked behind Niall's eyelids and he turned to give Cher a quick hug, grateful to have such a friend. The taller woman hugged him back with a laugh and they returned to their work.

* * *

  
  
Greg was excited to see the game when he showed up at  _Better Day_  to meet him. He and Niall hurried down the street towards the Dundalk Ice Dome and Greg quizzed him about how he got the tickets.  
  
"Just one of the regulars," he lied, not sure why he did. "He has season tickets and couldn't go tonight so he gave them to me."  
  
"You get the best tips, Niall." Greg gave his shoulders a squeeze.  
  
He laughed with him and they continued on their way, blending with the rest of the crowd heading into the arena.  
  
The game was fantastic. Their seats were in the lower bowl, on one of the corners where they could see everything happening on the ice. The Rams played with a passion that Niall hadn't seen in months. They won and Niall was hoarse by the time he and his brother made their way through the crowds leaving three hours later.  
  
"That was awesome. Thanks for taking me." Greg gave his brother a hug before heading home on the train.  
  
Niall continued on his way to  _Better Day_  and greeted his friend with an elated grin as he walked in from the cold.  
  
"How was it?" Cher asked, all but bouncing up and down on the spot.  
  
Niall let out a happy sigh. "It was amazing. I can't thank you enough for working so I could go."  
  
"It's no problem. There was nothing going on here. I've just been reading a magazine." Cher held up the evidence.  
  
Niall's eyebrows lifted. "Rich's OK with that?"  
  
"Oh, he left hours ago when Sandy showed up."  
  
"Where's Sandy?"  
  
"Asleep in the staff room. He said to wake him if it gets busy."  
  
"Well, the Rams won so we might get a few people in." Niall removed his heavy winter coat and stowed it in the office.  
  
"Cool."  
  
When Niall strode out from the office, Cher was perched on the edge of the counter, flipping through the magazine.  
  
"Cher, I don't think I've ever seen you look so casual." Niall laughed as he walked past his friend to straighten the cup stacks. Then he grabbed a cloth and bottle of cleaner before walking out to clean the tables off.  
  
"So..." Cher's sing-song voice carried through the empty place towards his. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Niall rubbed at a sticky spot on one table.  
  
"At the game." Cher's tone was exasperated. "What happened?"  
  
Niall gave her a bemused look. "You mean, aside from grown men chucking each otherinto wooden panels in between skating and flicking long sticks at a frozen piece of rubber?"  
  
Cher wrinkled her nose. "Is that what hockey is?"  
  
Niall laughed and shook his head. "Only you wouldn't know that, Cher."  
  
"Well, I think I understand the technical side but when you put it like that, I don't understand what the appeal is."  
  
Niall shrugged and turned back to cleaning the tables. "Besides the game, nothing happened. Just like I told you nothing would happen."  
  
Cher made an annoyed sound and dropped the magazine on the counter. "I still think you're the hopeless one, Niall. How am I ever going to get you hooked up with a guy when you won't even try?"  
  
"Try what?" Niall replied around a laugh. "He was busy, Cher, playing a hockey game!"  
  
"There must have been something you could have done."  
  
"Short of streaking naked across the ice, I doubt it." Niall looked over to see Cher giving him a considering look. " _Not_  going to happen! Ever!"  
  
Another moment passed and then they both burst out laughing. Cher came out from behind the counter and together they organized the tables and chairs, wiping everything down as they went along. They moved behind the counter just as a few people came in the front door. They were boisterous and in good moods, ordering hot drinks all around. They sat down and more people came in, these ones wearing Rams jerseys.  
  
For a short while, the little shop was bustling. Cher even had to go and wake up Sandy to help. By the time the rush was over, it was close to midnight and Niall was exhausted. It had been such an eventful day. He was going to sleep well tonight.

* * *

  
  
"That was a great game," the captain, Sam, said to Liam as they changed in the locker room.  
  
Liam nodded in agreement and pulled a shirt over his head. "I had a great time out there."  
  
The guy on his right, Andy, nudged him with his shoulder. "You did a good job, man."  
  
"Thanks." All the guys had said the same basic thing to him since the game had ended. He hadn't scored but he'd been a key player in some major plays and in the end, the Rams had come out on top. Before the trade, he'd had no idea what the rivalry between Dublin and Castlereagh was like.  
"What did you used to do after a win?" someone else asked from across the room.  
  
Liam shrugged and leaned down to pull his fresh socks on. "It depends. If I was on the road, probably just go back to the hotel. At home, maybe go to a bar, or coffee shop."  
  
"Hey, we should go to  _Better Day_!" Max suggested.  
  
Liam leaned forward to look at him. "I know that place!"  
  
"Have you? Isn't it great? We used to go there all the time."  
  
"Why not now?" Liam asked.  
  
"No real reason," Andy said. "Just got out of the habit, I guess. Man, now that I think about it, I really miss the place."  
  
"There's the hottest chick working in there," someone else spoke up and several of the guys laughed. "I used to go just to see her!"  
  
Liam's mind flicked to the workers he'd met and he was curious which one his teammate was talking about. Cher was the obvious beauty, and Danielle had an exotic appeal, but he'd found Niall more appealing.  
  
"I always liked Niall." Andy bent to lace up his shoes. "He's funny."  
  
Liam grinned and found himself nodding in agreement. He wanted to talk to him again and see if he was just as fun without being surprised to meet him.  
  
"Yeah, too bad he can't come to more games," Max added. "I know how much he loves to be there."  
  
"Well, let's go now," Liam said as a silence fell. "I could use a coffee and it's just down the street."  
  
A few of the guys agreed to go and they headed off together, walking through the brisk night towards the small coffee shop. They chatted and laughed, answering the whistles and waves of a few fans across the street. They reached _Better Day_  and Liam paused when he saw Niall sitting near the window, holding his head in his hand. He wondered if he'd been working all night, unable to get away to the game.  
  
"There's Niall!" Andy knocked on the glass.  
  
He jumped up, startled, and looked out the window. When he took in all their faces, hiss relaxed into a grin and he darted over to the door to open it for them.  
  
"Hey!" he exclaimed as they came in from the cold. "I wasn't expecting to see you guys here after that win!"  
  
"Where else would we go?" Andy asked with a smile. "All the young guys go to the bars, but us senior citizens like to take it easy."  
  
"Oh please." Niall rolled his eyes and laughed.  
  
Liam stopped just inside the door as it swung shut and grinned down at his. "Hello again."  
  
"Oh jeez." He flushed under his gaze. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate the tickets you left for me."  
  
"Don't worry about it, Niall." He waved a hand at his. "I had the tickets and you love going to games, so it's nothing."  
  
"It was something," he insisted. "I hardly ever go to games and those seats were unbelievable."  
  
"I'm glad you got them. You went to the game then?"  
  
"Oh yes. Cher covered my shift so I could go." Niall glanced over at the counter where his friend was taking orders from the other guys. "I owe her too."  
  
"You don't owe me anything," Liam said but he was already darting away.  
  
"Coffee is on the house for all of you!" Niall announced as he hurried behind the counter.  
  
The guys cheered and Cher turned to gape at his friend.  
  
"It's the least I can do," Niall said.  
  
"Wow, we need to win more games," someone commented and they all laughed.  
  
"Niall was so excited to go to the game," Cher spoke up as he marked more cups for their orders.  
  
"Niall, you were there?" Andy asked and moved down the counter to where Niall had started to grind some beans.  
  
Niall looked up with a grin. "Yes, Liam gave me tickets."  
  
Liam felt the weight of all his teammates' gazes turn to him and he grinned in return.  
  
Max smirked. "Well, that's awfully generous, Liam."  
  
Liam shrugged it off, knowing his teammate was just trying to get a rise out of him. So far, no one had made him do anything but laugh. He never took himself seriously enough to rise to their jabs.  
  
"It was." Niall said, slid the first coffee across the counter. "That's why buying coffee for you all is the least I can do."  
  
As the others moved away from the counter with their drinks, Liam lingered, watching Niall move around. He was cute, maybe five foot eight with bright blue eyes rimmed with a thick fringe of lashes. He wasn't exactly petite but he carried himself with assurance, as though he knew himself, and knew himself well.  
  
"You don't owe me anything, Niall," Liam repeated in a quiet tone.  
  
He met his gaze and shook his head. "You have no idea how much it meant to me to go. I owe you much more than a simple coffee, Liam."  
  
Liam grinned. "All right, then you can work it off."  
  
He let out a nervous laugh as he poured his drink into a cup. "Oh really? And what kind of work did you have in mind?"  
  
The images and suggestions that bombarded Liam's mind suddenly were beyond graphic and he had to look away as he cleared his throat.  
  
_Where the hell did all that come from?_  He smiled at Niall who was watching him with a curious look on his face.  
  
"Nothing terrible." He smiled. "I don't know anyone here and I don't know the area."  
  
"So you want me to be your tour guide?"  
  
"I was thinking more that I'd like a friend." Liam realized as he said it that he really did miss his friends and family. Not just his teammates but his friends, the guys and girls he used to call up at any hour for a chat. He liked his new teammates but they were a long way from being close enough to be able to do that.  
  
"You want me to be your friend?" Niall sounded unsure.  
  
Liam grinned. "Yeah. Sad as that sounds, I'd like to have a friend here."  
  
"And you want me?"  
  
Several of the same images from a moment ago flashed through his mind again and he shifted on his feet. "Yes."  
  
He stared at him, looking back and forth between his eyes, probably trying to figure out if he was pulling his leg.  
  
"Liam, leave Niall alone and come sit down," Andy called.  
  
Liam did as his teammate asked and walked over to join them at their table. For the next little while they talked, laughed and told jokes. Niall and Cher were dragged into their conversation but laughed along with them all.  
  
After an hour or so, the guys decided they'd had enough and stood to leave. They called their 'good-byes' to the workers, who waved back. Before leaving, Liam hurried to the counter to speak to Niall.  
  
"If you're going to be my friend, I should get your number." He spoke in a low tone, like he was sharing a secret.  
  
Niall laughed and then covered his mouth with one hand. His eyes danced at him and he grinned.  
  
"You have got to be kidding me," Cher spoke up.  
  
They both turned to look at the other woman who was grinning. She met Niall's eyes and winked. "If you don't give him your number,  _I'll_  give it to him."  
  
Niall relented and jotted his number down on a coffee cup warmer. Liam tucked it in his pocket before following his teammates out the door. He couldn't quite figure out why he felt like he'd just won something better than a game.

* * *

  
  
Niall never expected to hear from Liam. He'd only given him his phone number because he knew Cher meant what she'd said about giving it to him anyway. He passed his time as he always did, working and going to his evening classes at Pulse. A whole week passed before he even saw another member of the team in the coffee shop again.  
  
Another week passed and he was growing tired of Cher's inquiries. He just kept telling his friend, and himself, that Liam was busy with practice and games. The final push before playoffs was on and the Rams were back in a position to make the post season.  
  
"I don't think he's ever going to call, if you want the truth," Niall said to Cher on the phone one evening as he took a break from studying.  
  
"Niall, don't be stupid," Cher replied. "He was obviously into you."  
  
"All he did was ask to be friends, Cher." Niall slapped his textbook closed. He was getting nothing done while he watched the highlights from the Rams' game the previous night anyway. "There didn't seem to be any other meaning behind that."  
  
Cher disagreed. Eventually Niall managed to get his off the phone and he began to get ready for bed. It was his one night a week that he had to himself and he always enjoyed wrapping up in bed with a good film.  
  
Though disappointed to have not seen Liam in the past two weeks, he wasn't wholly surprised. So when his phone rang just as he was changing into his pajamas, he was shocked to hear Liam's voice on the other end.  
  
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" he asked.  
  
Niall laughed. "Like what? It's nine o'clock. If I was doing anything at all, I wouldn't have answered the phone."  
  
"Well, that's good. Not that you're not doing anything, but that I'm not interrupting.  
  
Niall laughed again and sat down on the edge of his bed. "You guys had another awesome game last night."  
  
"Yeah, we did." Liam sounded tired but happy. "I can't believe how well it's all going."  
  
"I think it's been great since you joined the team."  
  
"You're just saying that because I gave you tickets."  
  
"Am I that obvious?"  
  
Liam laughed and the sound sent a strange shiver through his.  
  
"So, to what do I owe this honor?" he asked.  
  
"Well, we're back in town now and I've got the day off tomorrow. Do you want to do something?"  
  
"Could you be any more vague?"  
  
He chuckled. "I could try. Are you busy?"  
  
"I have to work for four hours in the morning, but then I don't have anything planned."  
  
"Great. I'll come by the coffee shop when you're done and you can take me sight-seeing."  
  
"'Sight-seeing?'" Niall echoed. "What do you want to see? There are a ton of different places I could take you."  
  
"Oh yeah? How about we start downtown and work our way out?"  
  
Niall laughed. "In one afternoon? You're crazy."  
  
"Yes! And it's only taken you this long to figure it out."  
  
Niall laughed again. They chatted for a few more minutes, deciding that he would take him to Liberty Market downtown to begin with. Liam let him go and they agreed that he would pick his up at  _Better Day_  at noon the following day.  
  
After that, Niall had no problem falling asleep.

* * *

  
  
The next day, Liam showed up right on time and Niall shed his apron before leaving the restaurant with him. He ignored the knowing look Cher sent his way and hurried out the door.  
  
"You sure you still want to walk down to Liberty?" Niall asked as the cold air outside sank in. He shuddered and tucked his scarf tighter around his neck.  
  
"Why? Don't you?" Liam looked down at his.  
  
"It's a long walk from here."  
  
"Hmm, maybe we can do something else then?"  
  
"We're kind of limited for how far we can go," Niall said as they paused at an intersection.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't have a car."  
  
"I do." He grabbed his arm and started to drag his back towards the coffee shop.  
  
"Liam! What the hell are you doing?" Niall laughed and stumbled as he tried to keep up with his much longer stride.  
  
With a chuckle, he stopped and waited for him to catch up. "I'm parked behind the coffee shop. We can go anywhere. If you don't want to go to this Liberty place, then we'll go somewhere else."  
  
"I've already seen everything here. It's up to you, my friend." He followed him to the small parking lot behind the coffee shop.  
  
He opened the door on Liam’s mid-sized crossover SUV for his. He clambered in and yelped when his backside hit the cold leather seats. Liam jumped in the other side and told him to hang on for a minute until the seat warmers could work their magic.  
  
"Holy shit," he hissed out behind chattering teeth. "Get some seat covers!"  
  
"OK," he agreed as he backed out of the spot. "Where's the nearest Tesco?"  
  
Niall laughed and shook his head. Then he met his amused gaze and stopped. "Oh, you're serious?"  
  
"Why not?" He shrugged. "You can't ride around with me all day on these frozen seats."  
  
"No, but I'm not always going to be the one riding in here. This is your car."  
  
"I want my friends to be comfortable."  
  
"Liam, you're already turning into a better friend than any I've ever had!"  
  
Liam laughed as they dodged through traffic. Niall just held on for dear life and wondered how this had all happened. It was amazing that someone like Liam wanted to spend any time at all with his, even as a friend. He was just going to have to soak it all up and enjoy the ride.  
  
They drove through town to a big mall and wandered around for hours. Liam dragged him into just about every store. He tried on clothes, he played with toys and he made his listen to music. He laughed until his stomach ached and did his best to make him laugh in turn. By dinnertime, his stomach was growling and they were arguing about the best place to eat.  
  
"I can't afford to eat out," Niall said, flushing in embarrassment.  
  
Liam slung an arm across his shoulders and pulled his close. "It's on me, Niall."

 

He elbowed him in the ribs and he dropped his arm with an exaggerated groan. He felt the loss of warmth and looked away, telling himself he was imagining it. "It's not on you yet."  
  
"Come on, let me treat you. You've been great today, helping me find seat covers and all."  
  
Niall rolled his eyes at him but couldn't stop the smile from crossing his face.  
  
"You must know some great places to eat," he said. "What's your favorite restaurant?"  
  
" _Open Sesame_."  
  
"That's a restaurant here?"  
  
"Yeah. It's great. All different kinds of Asian dishes and they do this thing called a 'Garden Market,' where you pick out exactly what you want and they cook it all for you."  
  
"Sounds great." Liam grabbed his hand.  
  
They left the mall and drove the few short blocks to the restaurant. Soon they were seated at a table near the center fireplace in the dim and smoky restaurant that Niall loved. He'd forgotten how romantic the interior of the restaurant was but Liam looked impressed, so he let it go.  
  
_I can get through this,_  Niall told himself as he sipped his drink.  
  
"This place is cool." Liam gazed around at the Asian decor. "Is it a chain?"  
  
"No. It's local. There are actually three restaurants in this building."  
  
"Really? Where do they all fit?"  
  
Niall grinned. "We're in the basement now. Up on the main level is  _Smuggler's Inn_  and on the second floor is  _Bolero_."  
  
"We should try them all." Liam winked at his as he sipped his beer.  
  
"Not tonight, I hope," Niall replied and they laughed.  
  
The waitress reappeared in a few minutes with their meals and they dug in. Niall was famished and completely engrossed in eating his meal. He'd never felt so unselfconscious with a guy before and Liam was so relaxing to be around.  
  
Liam sighed as they finished dessert. "I can't wait until my next day off."  
  
Niall laughed at him. "After all you've just eaten, you shouldn't be allowed another day off for the rest of the season."  
  
He gave him a mock wounded look and looked down at himself, pushing his stomach out. "I'm great, what are you talking about?"  
  
Smirking, Niall gave him a look over the top of his glass. "Well, I don't know how many dates you'll get looking like that, Liam."  
  
"Ouch!"  
  
He laughed and reached over to pat his hand. "Don't worry. Some women will just love the fact that you're on the team. That'll be enough to get you laid at least...oh, a dozen times."  
  
Liam blinked at him for a second before bursting into laughter. He laughed so hard and so long that people began to turn their heads and stare. Niall hid his face in his hands, trying to figure out what had possessed him to say such a thing.  
  
"Wow, Niall," Liam gasped out after a long while. "I never would have pegged you as the bluntly honest type."  
  
He smiled. "I guess that you don't know everything about me."  
  
"Yet," he corrected with a grin, his eyes sparkling in the firelight.  
  
He flushed, grateful for the dim interior of the restaurant.  
  
"Anyway, I don't want to date right now," Liam said.  
  
"Why not? You're such a catch." Niall blurted and clamped a hand over his mouth right away. "Oh shit."  
  
He laughed and waved a hand at him, dismissing his words. "Thanks, Niall. I know I am."  
  
Niall laughed with him, shaking his head at his confidence. What he'd said was true; he was single, employed, fit and good-looking. Now that he knew how much fun he was off the ice, he was even more appealing.  
  
_What the hell am I thinking?_  He shook his head to clear it.  _We're just friends. Less than that; we've only known each other for a few weeks._  
  
"I just want to focus on the game right now," Liam went on, still smiling at him.  
  
He couldn't help but smile back. His good mood was infectious.  
  
"Women have a way of complicating things," he added.  
  
Niall lifted his eyebrows at that and he chuckled. "Well, I guess it's a good thing that you have me."  
  
"Yeah, good thing." His eyes narrowed a bit as they looked at each other.  
  
Niall blushed under his gaze and looked away. When he glanced back at Liam, he was still staring at him, his smile lopsided.  
  
"So, uh... are you done?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, I guess so. Are you ready to go?"  
  
He nodded and they got up to leave the restaurant. They were both quiet on the ride home, except for the directions Niall gave to Liam to get to his apartment building. He parked outside the main entrance and he turned to thank him for the great day.  
  
"I should be thanking you, Niall." he said, the easy grin back on his face.  
  
"Only if you can recover from that meal." He glanced at his stomach as he spoke, which was a mistake. He'd never seen such a firm set of abs, even covered by a shirt.  
  
He patted his stomach. "You've got nothing to worry about."  
  
"What are you doing next weekend?" Liam asked as he reached for the handle on his door.  
  
"Work." He shrugged. "Why?"  
  
"I want to hang out again." He gave Niall a sheepish smile. "I don't have many friends here and I had fun today."  
  
Niall nodded. "You've got friends. All the guys on the team."  
  
"Yeah, but they have their own friends and families. I don't like to impose on them."  
  
"But you're OK with dominating  _my_  free time?"  
  
He laughed and nodded. "Yeah. I get a night or two a week that's mine and that's only if we're in town."  
  
"And you want to spend it with me?" Niall couldn't believe it.  
  
"Sure. Why not?"  
  
Niall didn't know what to say. He'd had a great day with Liam but he felt like he might just be setting himself up for something awful if he spent any more time with him. Then he heard Cher's voice in his head telling him to just go out with the guy and have fun.  
  
Drawing a deep breath, he agreed to see Liam next week. He told him he'd see him at  _Better Day_  the next day after the morning skate.  
  
"All right, thanks for the ride!" Niall hopped out and raced inside before the cold could set in.

* * *

 

  
  
Over the next few weeks, Liam and Niall spent a lot of time together. When he could, Liam even started to shuttle him from work to school and back, in spite of his protests. He brushed off Niall’s arguments, saying that he could consider it payment for showing him around town.  
  
They'd been to the movies, to shopping malls, clubs and to all the tourist sights around town. Liam was enjoying spending time with him more than anything and the more time he spent in the city, the more he came to think of it as home. The playoffs loomed in the near future and he felt himself distracted a lot of the time.  
  
One day when he and Niall were waiting for a movie to start, he commented on his silence.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said. "I was just thinking about our next few games."  
  
"What are you worried about? You guys have been meshing so well. You're two wins away from making the playoffs and you've got six games left. Piece of cake!"  
  
Liam smiled at his confidence, wishing he shared it. He knew that if he was still with his old team, he wouldn't be so worried. Here, being the new guy, he felt that he had something to prove. He wanted everyone in this city and on the team to know that he was worth the trade.  
  
"I told you months ago that you should start dating just to take the edge off," Niall added in a low tone as the previews started.  
  
Liam laughed and threw an arm around his shoulders, drawing him close. He giggled and settled against him, his warmth seeping through his body.  
  
If he was being honest with himself, he didn't feel the need to date. Niall was a great friend and he loved spending all of his free time with him. He was funny, smart and willing to try almost anything once.  
  
So with his weight resting against his side and his hair tickling his chin, Liam wondered if he needed to bother with dating. Then the movie started and he pushed it from his mind.  
  
A week later, he raced into  _Better Day_  following a big win and darted behind the counter before Rich the manager could stop him. Niall was just coming around the corner from the office and Liam swept him off his feet in a bear hug.  
  
"We did it!" He swung him around as he yelped in surprise and held onto his shoulders. "We're in the playoffs!"  
  
Niall laughed and hugged him back. "I know. I watched the whole game."  
  
Liam set his down with a broad grin. As he'd skated off the ice that night, all he'd wanted to do was go to the coffee shop to celebrate with his friend. Some of the guys on the team had teased him about his newfound love for coffee before telling him they'd meet him there. He'd barely been listening, racing out of the locker room ahead of all of them.  
  
"Congratulations, Liam," Cher said with a smile. "Great game."  
  
Liam laughed at his. "Yeah, right. Niall must have been giving you the play-by-play the entire time."  
  
Niall smacked him on the arm and he laughed again. "What do you want to drink?" he asked.  
  
"I don't know if he should have any caffeine, Niall." Cher winked at him. "He looks energized enough."  
  
Grinning back at his, Liam thought he was right. He felt like he could run laps for a few more hours before feeling any exhaustion. His cell phone rang and he moved from behind the counter to answer it.  
  
"Dude, we're heading down to Rams Central," Max said, referring to the night club in downtown Dublin that was half-owned by the hockey team.  
  
"Oh? No one's coming for coffee?"  
  
Max laughed at him. "No one  _needs_  coffee, Liam. Come on!"  
  
Liam smiled but shook his head. "It's OK. I think I'd rather just hang out here."  
  
There was some shuffling and shouting on the other end and then someone else came on the line.  
  
"You're coming out to celebrate, man," Andy ordered.  
  
Liam laughed. "I'm already celebrating with Niall and Cher."  
  
"Bring them along," Andy suggested. "I'm sure Niall could use the night out."  
  
Liam glanced over to where Niall was describing a play from the game to Rich and Cher, who looked bored. He grinned and told Andy he'd see them soon.  
  
"Hey, Rich." Liam hurried back to the counter. "Can Niall have the rest of the night off?"  
  
Niall's jaw dropped and his cheeks flushed pink. Rich shrugged, moving away from them and muttering something about the place being quiet anyway.  
  
"What are we doing?" Niall untied his apron.  
  
"Going to Rams Central," Liam replied.  
  
Niall gasped and gestured at his coffee shop attire. "I'm not dressed for a club!"  
  
Liam eyed his figure, tamping down his immediate physical response and ordering his body to remain calm. Niall was wearing jeans, black shoes and a soft pink button-up shirt. "You look fine."  
  
"Gee thanks, Liam," he replied with an eye roll that he was coming to adore. "Your enthusiasm is astounding."  
  
"Oh, come on, Niall." Cher stepped up to them. "You look great. Just let me fix your hair."  
  
Before Niall could dodge her, Cher had yanked a can of hairspray from her locker and mussed up the blonde mess. A few pinches here and there and in a minute, she had Niall's hair looking salon-styled.  
  
"What the hell did you do?" Niall was astounded after checking himself in a mirror.  
  
"I can't tell you," Cher replied with a wink.  
  
Liam waited impatiently as Niall ducked into the staff room to get his coat. Cher waved them off as they hurried out into the cold evening. Liam drove them the few blocks to Rams Central, taking advantage of the valet parking, and they were inside in minutes.  
  
"I can't believe we're here," Niall spoke up.  
  
"Haven't you been here before?"  
  
Niall shook his head as they walked up the stairs just inside the entrance. "I've never had time."  
  
"Well, now you do." Liam took hold of his hand, a move he knew comforted him when he felt nervous or awkward.  
  
They walked into the big main room and several guys called out Liam's name. Liam looked over to see several of his teammates across the room. He weaved his way through the crowd, keeping a firm hold on Niall's hand as he high-fived a few fans and accepted their praise.  
  
"Liam, about time you got here!" Andy gave him with a wide grin. "Niall, good to see you out of that apron."  
  
Niall blushed but laughed and congratulated Andy on their win.  
  
"Yeah, we're pretty excited." Andy turned and ordered a round of drinks.  
  
Liam leaned close to Niall and asked what he wanted to drink.  
  
"Nothing. I have to work in the morning."  
  
"Oh, come on, Niall." Andy pulled him close to his side with one arm. "You've got to have at least one drink to celebrate with us."  
  
Niall protested but Liam could tell that his teammate was standing firm. He relented and asked for a Guiness. Liam turned away after feeling a hand on his shoulder, and saw the grinning face of Max.  
  
"Glad to see you finally took the plunge, man," Max said.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
Max rolled his eyes and jerked his chin in Niall's direction as he was being shuffled through the group, laughing and high-fiving the guys. Liam followed Max's gaze and couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face as he saw his smaller friend lifted off his feet in a bear hug from the captain.  
  
"We were thinking of taking bets on when you'd ask him out," Max said.  
  
"What? We're not dating." Liam shook his head. "We're just friends."  
  
His teammate scoffed and punched him on the shoulder. "Maybe you are, but if you don't step up, someone else will."  
  
Liam looked away from him. He watched in silence as Niall settled into a seat and began to chat with some of the guys and their other friends. He didn't even notice when Max moved away from him and the rest of the crowd closed in.  
  
He just stayed back and studied his friend as he talked and laughed with the team. Niall looked so animated sitting there, his smile wide and his eyes sparkling under the flashing lights. The waitress returned with a tray of drinks and Liam accepted his before turning his attention back to Niall and the others.  
  
"To the playoffs!" Andy lifted his glass in the air.  
  
The others echoed the toast and downed their drinks but Liam still had eyes only for Niall, who glanced up at him over the rim of his glass. He met his gaze and winked. Liam felt like someone had just drop-kicked him in the stomach and he downed his entire drink in one gulp, feeling sweat break out on his brow.  
  
_Holy shit._  
  
"Liam!" someone shouted his name, making him tear his eyes away from Niall.  
  
For the next little while, Liam lost sight of Niall. It was close to an hour later when he caught up to his near the bar, where he was talking to Chad Michael, another teammate. As Liam approached from one side, Chad put a hand on his waist and bent low to speak into his ear. Liam clenched his jaw and pushed through the crowd separating them.  
  
"Niall!" he called as he drew near.  
  
Chad snapped up straight and offered Liam a crooked grin. Liam just fixed him with a firm look and glanced at the hand Chad had on Niall's waist. Chad lifted it, holding it towards Liam in an apologetic gesture as he backed away a step.  
  
"I was just trying to help my odds," Chad said before grinning and moving away through the crowd.  
  
"Liam!" Niall turned to throw his arms around his neck and Liam allowed his body to simply react.  
  
He wasn't sure if it had happened before tonight but the when hardly mattered now. What worried him was that he'd played the friend for too long. He wondered now, after seeing Niall with Remy, if he had any chance at all.  
  
"I missed you," Niall said, making Liam stiffen in an instant.  
  
"Did you?" He aimed for nonchalance even as he had to adjust his stance so he wouldn't notice his sudden hard-on. "I've been here the whole time."  
  
He laughed at him and it was then that he noticed the color in his cheeks.  
  
"How much have you had to drink?" He cupped his chin in his hand and studied his face.  
  
"A couple. I just can't believe I'm here, partying with the Rams. It's unbelievable!"  
  
Liam laughed, realizing that he was high on excitement and not drunk. "You've served these guys coffee for a long time now."  
  
"Yeah, but this is different." Niall held on to him with his smaller hands.  
  
Liam used the motion of the crowd to take another step closer, sliding his arm all the way around him. He grinned up at him, his hands resting on his biceps.  
  
"I'm so glad you brought me," he said.  
  
He swallowed hard, wondering if he wanted to stay all night.  
  
His smile drooped a bit as he studied his face. "Aren't you having fun?"  
  
He shrugged. "I'm kind of beat," he lied. "You want to go?"  
  
"What? You don't want to stay and celebrate?"  
  
"I'd rather just wind down. You want to go home? Watch a movie or something?"  
  
"At my place?" Niall looked surprised.  
  
Liam wondered if he'd pushed it too far. Then he smiled and nodded, and Liam led him out of the club in another minute.

 

* * *

 

  
"Oh wow," Niall murmured as Liam drove them to his apartment. "I still can't believe how much fun that was. Thank you so much for taking me out!"  
  
Liam smiled and shrugged like it was nothing. Niall shook his head at his casual attitude. Then again, he played with all these guys, had worked with them and others just like them all his life.  
  
_I really need to stop acting so starry-eyed all the time,_  he thought as he turned his head to watch the snowy landscape sliding by.  
  
"I'm just glad you're willing to come out with me all the time," Liam said after a minute and to Niall, he sounded amazed by that fact.  
  
He looked over at him with a smile. "You're a lot of fun to hang out with. Why wouldn't I?"  
  
Again he gave that shrug, glancing sideways at him. He noticed for the first time since leaving the club that Liam wasn't acting like himself.  
  
_Oh no. Maybe he's trying to think of a way to tell me we can't be friends anymore._  Niall felt his throat constrict at the thought. He didn't want to think of not spending time with Liam. He'd become so accustomed to his calls and the sight of him at the coffee shop that he'd feel like he had an amputated limb if he just stopped coming around.  
  
"I guess I'm just surprised that you're not busy with a girlfriend, or boyfriend," Liam said.  
  
A strangled laughed escaped Niall. “Boyfriend,” he lifted a hand to his cheek. "What boyfriend? Guys don't want to date me." He fought to keep the bitterness from his tone as memories of Joey washed over him.  
  
Liam gave him a sharp look. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Oh please, Liam. Men date Chers, not Nialls." He gestured at himself as he said it.  
  
Liam scoffed. "You're crazy, you know that?"  
  
"I don't think so." He swallowed the lump in his throat. Then his next words were out before he could stop them. "Why else did you ask me to be your 'friend'?"  
  
As soon as he said it, he regretted it. Liam looked like he'd slapped him.  
  
"Liam, I'm sorry." He stared down at his hands in his lap. "I didn't mean it the way it sounded."  
  
Liam laughed and pulled his vehicle over to the side of the road. Niall noticed then that they were already at his apartment building.  
  
"Sure you did," he said. "But it's OK."  
  
"No, it isn't. You've been a good friend and I just - I'm just - " He couldn't seem to get the right words out. He shook his head. "I don't know what I was thinking."  
  
"Niall, it's OK." Liam reached across to take his hand in his. "It's my fault anyway."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Again he gave his that shrug. Niall felt his mouth pulling at the corners and then he was smiling as his eyes twinkled at his.  
  
"You want to sit in here all night?" Liam asked instead of answering him. "Or can we go inside now?"  
  
Laughing, Niall nodded and hopped out of his car, leading the way to his apartment. Once inside, he hung their jackets up and asked if he wanted a drink.  
  
"You got any hot chocolate?"  
  
He laughed. "Seriously? Yeah, I've got some here somewhere." As he searched his kitchen, he was relieved that his earlier comment hadn't offended him too much.  
  
"I still want to know," Liam said a few minutes later, still grinning that grin that Niall couldn't quite read.

 

"Want to know what?" Niall handed him a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Together they moved to his small living room.  
  
"Why don't you have a boyfriend? Or date anyone, for that matter."  
  
"Why does it matter?" He tried to keep from fidgeting under his gaze as they sat next to each other on his well-worn couch.  
  
"I just don't understand why you're not."  
  
"We already went over this. I'm just not the type of person who attracts that much attention. I'm a fade-into-the-background kind of person. I'm the person that guys spend time with until they go home to their fiancés."  
  
Liam's eyes widened and Niall could kick himself for revealing so much. Now he'd want to know what the hell he was talking about.  
  
"What is the story with that?"  
  
"It doesn't matter." He waved his hand in the air and avoided meeting his eyes.  
  
"Sure it does. Tell me what happened. It seems to have turned you off of dating for good."  
  
Niall looked at him and he was smiling, except it wasn't his usual impish look that he'd grown so accustomed to. It was more sober and less playful. With a sigh, he told him the story about Joey and his fiancé. When he was done, he couldn't look at him anymore.  
  
"That isn't a good enough reason to give up on seeing guys altogether," he said.  
  
He sipped some more of his hot chocolate. "I see you, don't I?"  
  
Liam said nothing to that, just stared at him in silence. He stared so long that he began to squirm under his gaze. Then he moved, the couch creaking and sinking under his weight as he shifted closer. Niall saw him set down his mug out of the corner of his eye and a tremor went through his entire body.  
  
_What the hell is wrong with me?_  He wondered, clutching his own mug.  _He's not even touching me. Probably not even_  thinking  _about touching me and - oh dear..._  
  
Suddenly Liam  _was_  touching him, sliding his arms around his body and pulling Niall closer to him. One of his strong arms went around his waist as his other arm pulled on his legs until he had him turned to face him.  
  
"Niall." His warm breath stirred the loose hairs near his neck.  
  
He gently pulled the mug out of Niall’s hands, setting it down on the table next to his. He followed the movement of his hand with his eyes, refusing to look at Liam’s face, convincing himself that he was just playing with him, trying to prove something. Then that hand came back towards him; large, smooth palm coming closer until he was sliding it over the skin of Niall’s cheek. He shivered, his eyes slipping shut at Liam’s touch.  
  
_This doesn't feel like something a friend does._  He fought the urge to giggle.  
  
"Niall," Liam whispered his name again, applying just enough pressure with his hand to turn his face towards him.  
  
His dark lashes were low over his shining eyes and that playful smile was back on his face. It held something else behind the light-hearted humor; something deeper, something... hungrier.  
  
"You know, I'd convinced myself that the reason I never tried anything was because I didn't want to ruin my first real friendship here." Liam stroked his chin with the pad of his thumb. He moved his eyes from his, glancing down his body with a look of such intense heat that Niall felt his temperature spike.  
  
"After tonight, all I wanted to do was get to the coffee shop so I could celebrate with you," he went on, his eyes lifting back to his. "I realized that I've never felt that way about any of my friends."  
  
"Oh?" The word was more of an exhalation than a response. Liam was still stroking him, moving from his chin to the soft skin just under his ear.  
  
"I guess I'm wondering if I'd be taking too much of a chance here, Niall." His face was serious and his eyes were so dark now. He couldn't look anywhere else. "I don't want to lose you."  
  
"Me either."  
  
He grinned and shifted closer still. Niall started to tremble and he couldn't seem to stop it.  
  
His arm tightened around his waist and forced him to bend his body against his. "Are you cold?"  
  
"No. I'm - confused."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Why are you saying these things to me?"  
  
"Because I want you to know." He lifted one shoulder, his eyes dancing. "I want you to understand... before."  
  
Now he really felt lost.  _What is he trying to do?_  He swallowed the lump in his throat and licked his lips before responding. "Understand what?"  
  
"This." With that, Liam leaned close enough that he felt his breath on his lips a second before he brushed his mouth against his.  
  
He gasped, arching his body and tearing their lips apart before a real kiss happened. "What are you doing?"  _What am_  I  _doing?_  He wondered.  _He was kissing me!_  
  
Liam looked surprised by his reaction but he didn't let him go. Oh no. He dropped his hand from Niall’s face to his thigh, pulling hard and hauling his legs around until he was all but sprawled across his lap. It upset Niall’s balance and he clung to his shoulders to keep from toppling backwards. His eyes met his and Liam’s grin was positively wicked.  
  
_Oh, God help me,_  Niall thought before Liam gave him a good yank and  _did_  send him sprawling back against the couch.  
  
Before he could move, Liam was on top of him, his thighs trapping his lower body and his hands holding his beside his head.  
  
"What are you doing?" He heard the near-panic in his own voice.  _I must be dreaming. This isn't me lying here, feeling his body on me, watching him kiss me..._  
  
The thought disappeared as Liam's lips came down on hiss. All thoughts were obliterated for several seconds as he kissed him. His lips were very soft and he could just feel the stubble on his chin rubbing his skin. Niall clenched his hands and tried to lift his body but Liam held him down. He must have made a noise because Liam drew back after a few seconds.  
  
"Did I do it?" His voice was husky and breathless. His brown eyes flicked back and forth between his and he could almost feel his smile coming before he did it. "Did I just wreck everything?"  
  
He shook his head, his throat tight. "I don't – I – you - " he stopped on a breathless laugh that turned into a gasp as Liam lowered his mouth to run his tongue across his lower lip. His thoughts scattered for another long moment. He felt him release his hands, his own hands moving to cup his neck and tilt his head back as he pressed his lips to his again.  
  
This time, Liam didn't hesitate. He pushed inside, his tongue hot and slick against his and he moaned. His other hand moved down his side as he shifted some of his weight off of him so he could slide his hand over his hip. Niall lifted his hips and felt something come loose inside of him as Liam slipped his hand around to cup his ass. Niall drove his fingers through Liam’s hair, clenching them and kissing him back, really kissing him back for the first time since he'd started this.  
  
They broke apart in another minute, breathing hard.  
  
"I guess you're all right with this, then?" Liam’s fingers clenched against his backside.  
  
Niall lifted his hips, brushing his middle against Liam and bit his lip when he felt the unyielding part of him that dug into him.  
  
"Niall, say something, please," he begged, his voice hoarse.  
  
"What do you want me to say?" He lowered his hips only to lift them a second later, loving the reaction he got each time.  
  
"Tell me this is OK."  
  
The next time he lifted his hips, Liam flattened his hand against his bottom, holding Niall in place against him. The heat of him seeped into him and Niall felt himself melting and softening around him. He stopped trembling and lifted his knees, cradling him between his thighs as he watched his eyes the whole time.  
  
"Why?" Niall’s voice was a low whisper.  
  
Liam looked confused and he grinned, dropping a hand to stroke his cheek. He turned his head and kissed his palm, his tongue darting out just before he pulled his hand away.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why me?" His face heated as Liam turned his deep brown eyes on him.  
  
"Because it can't be anyone else." His tone implied that Niall should have known all along.  
  
And shouldn't he have?  
  
Shouldn't he have recognized what he was feeling? All this time he'd been worried about not feeling for someone the way he'd felt about Joey. He'd worried about it so much that he'd forgotten what it  _did_  feel like to fall, to just give up and take the chance.  
  
"Niall." Liam bent his head down and planted warm, wet kisses to the exposed column of his throat. "Tell me you want me to stop."  
  
He let out a breathless laugh.  _Oh no._  He wasn't going to stop or let this get away from him. He wanted to trade his feelings of loneliness for something else.  
  
"No." He cupped his cheeks in his hands, drawing his face up until he could look into his eyes again.  
  
He gave him a lopsided smile. "I  _did_  wreck everything, didn't I?"  
  
"No, Liam. You didn't wreck anything. I'm not going to tell you I want you to stop because I don't."  
  
A smile spread across his face and Niall felt his mouth curling up at the corners in an identical grin. Liam laughed and wrapped him in his arms, burying his face in his neck. Niall hugged him back and let his head fall onto the couch with a sigh as his lips moved over his skin.  
  
"I'm so relieved."  
  
"I think," Liam murmured, his breath hot against his skin. "That this has effectively ruined our friendship."  
  
Niall burst out laughing and hugged him close, burying his face against his chest. "No, Liam." He pressed kisses to his chest, collarbone and his throat before meeting his gaze again. "This just changes things a bit."  
  
He snorted. "Just a bit?"  
  
"Yes. We're just trading what we had for something new. Like you did."  
  
"Trading?" Liam nodded. "I can deal with that."  
  
Niall gave him a light kiss. "So can I. After all, if you'd never been traded, we'd never have met."  
  
"That's right. Getting traded here was the best thing that ever happened to me." Liam's words brought a fresh blush to his cheeks. "What? What did I say?"  
  
Niall shook his head, embarrassed by the moisture springing to his eyes.  
  
"Niall, love, let me see your face," Liam pleaded, pulling at the hand he covered his face with. "I want to see your beautiful face."  
  
"Liam." Niall did as he asked, lowering his hand and letting him see his ridiculous tears.  
  
"Why are you crying? What have I done wrong?"  
  
"Nothing! Liam, you're wonderful. I'm..." He shook his head and laughed, wondering why he was so being emotional.  
  
"Niall, please, I want to see you smile."  
  
Liam sounded so distraught that Niall kissed him again. Then again and again until Liam closed his arms around him and pulled his close.  
  
When he had his emotions in check, he tried again. "I'm just worried that I won't be good enough for you, Liam."  
  
"Niall, you're perfect for me."  
  
"Don't be an idiot." He tried to sound nonchalant even as he reeled from the compliment.  
  
"You drive me crazy, Niall." Liam tickled his sides until he shrieked with laughter.  
  
"Well, I'm hardly perfect for you," Niall said once he'd caught his breath.  
  
"You're a hockey nut." Liam turned onto his side and lifted a hand to tick the points off on his fingers. "You're funny, smart, gorgeous and now I’m pretty sure how good you’ll be in bed."  
  
"Oh, you jerk!" Niall smacked an open palm on his chest.  
  
Liam caught his hand before he could strike him again and kissed his fingers, one at a time. Niall melted against his side with a contented sigh.  
  
"I don't want anyone else," Liam said. "I want my friend."  
  
Niall smiled at him, blinking back his tears. "Oh, Liam. You have your friend."  
  
He grinned, his eyes bright and his expression elated. He leaned close to kiss him again, happy.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so first off I want to apologize for my description of Dublin - I've never been there and I tried to keep from mentioning anything that would land me in a huge hole. The restaurants I've mentioned are based off of one's I've been to on my last trip to Santa Fe, the coffee shop actually exists :)  
> I also know next to nothing about hockey, so bear with me. The teams mentioned are (or were) actual teams in England and Ireland. The team Liam played for before coming to Dublin is in the West Midlands (that's the area Wolverhampton is in according to Wikipedia) so I used it as a substitute to making up my own teams. The Dundalk Ice Dome is the home 'center' for the Dublin Rams.  
> I also made Liam a year older than Niall, and Niall was born in Dublin in this story :)  
> Also, I couldn't find out anything about a 'Cup' (like the Stanley Cup) so I just used my last name and invented my own.  
> Pulse College is a real University I believe, with a sound engineering course :)


End file.
